The Deadbeat Cats
Released in 2024 on https://www.western-star.co.uk/
Reviewed July 31st, 2024, by Rockin Rebel
The band hail from Norfolk in the uk and are three seasoned professionals. All have the experience of being the front man and play a multiple of instruments, they mainly play Rock n Roll, Rockabilly but have played many different styles over the years. The album was recorded and released by the great label Western Star. The tracks are all cover songs from across the 1980s pop and make a good mix of genres. All done in the great sound of the 1950s. So, get comfortable and turn the volume up.
Members are and play.
Ron Sayer Jnr – Guitar & Vocals
Daryl Blyth – Drums & Vocals
Wayne Beauchamp – Slap Bass & Vocals
Track by track
Bye Bye Bye (Lundin- Schulze- Carlsson)
a Grammy nomination in 2001 for Record of the Year is not a bad start to any album. First released by American boy band NSYNC from their third studio album, No Strings Attached. Now in 2024 it gets the rock n roll make over. Quick Slap bass gives an instant transition from pop to rockabilly. Great vocals and musically spot on has its twice as fast as the original. Well thought out and a great version.
Spiderman (Webster – Harris)
The best theme tune from my childhood was this one, and if you are certain age just like me you will remember every word. So nice to see a classic theme song go through a rockabilly transformation, and you know what it works. Sang in a style that would suit a villain of spiderman. Great backing from the boys.
Final Countdown (Tempest)
Some songs should be just left alone, but not this one, the cats give a fantastic rendition of this 1986 super hit by Europe (rock band from Sweden) moving at a faster pace the boys give it a great Rockin make over, some intricate playing during the break and stop dead ending. Awesome
What’s Up?
Number one in six countries for this 1993 original power ballad by American band four non blondes. The bass really stands out on this track along with nice guitar. Drums smash away in the background. Great version that defiantly takes you back in time.
Baby I Love You (Barry, Greenwich, Spector)
Goin further back with this Ronettes hit from the 1960s. great vocals and backing vocals. keeping it very close to the original . But you don’t fix what aint broken. The percussion roll out the main rhythm to the track with the guitar keeping it nice and tight. Great rendition.
Stop! (Bell,Clark)
First released in 1988 for the awesome Erasure. One of the biggest tracks of the 1980s synth era. The boys still capture the magic of this upbeat classic. Would you believe it is a breakup song. The band take a Stray Cat Strut style backing. I love the stop and start style. Great instrumental break lead by the guitar.
Take On Me ( Furuholmen, Harket, Waaktaar)
Once again, a great 80s synth track. I can hear so many influences in this track from back in the day. Took a little bit of Reggie, Mod and two tone mixed it with good ole rockabilly and they recorded an incredible cover. Hitting all the famous high note. Really good cover version.
Don’t You (Forget About Me) (Forsey, Schiff)
Vocal style feels a little moody vibe, ramming it in that you will NOT forget about him. The drums roll along with the vocals, and they pull the track off with unique cover. Not the easiest track to remake in to a 50s style. So the band increase the speed of the backing and vocals. Simple minds first released this track in 1985.
Shotgun (Ezra, Gibson, Pott)
Bringing us right up to date with this George Ezra tune. Such a brilliant cover, stays close to the style of Ezra, obviously with the Rockin beat. vocally spot on and enjoyable to listen to. Great job.
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (Lennox, Stewart)
The boys really do like the 80s synth sound and why not with such classics as this one from Anne Lennox. Really like the intro with its Slap Bass leading you so far away from the original. Moved to a faster backing with some awesome musical breaks. This is no longer just an 80s classic, it’s now a 2024 rock n roll dance floor filler. The ending is fantastic.
Eight Days A Week (Lennon–McCartney)
It wouldn’t be a covers album without a Beatles track. and they have chosen one of the best to bring into modern sounds. First released in 1964 and was the first ever single to use the fade in intro, the band take there own approach and smash the intro loud and proud, ROCK IT BOYS.
Wonderwall (Gallagher)
1995 smash for the English band, Oasis and given the revamp rock n roll touch. Good vocals and a continuous rockabilly slap bass change the track altogether. Love the phrasing style on the vocal.
Eye Of The Tiger ( Sullivan, Peterik)
We are all watching with the eye of the tiger on this beauty from the classic movie series Rocky. The boys change the notes to capture a Rockin vocals. the drummers’ hands are faster than Apollo creeds left jab on the percussions. Great job in redoing the musical score. Its hard its fast its those deadbeat cats.
Basket Case (Green Day)
1994 super hit for American boy band Green Day, the track was written on the back of a diagnoses of anxiety for one of the members. The cats give a great rendition of this track. im sure there is some freaky guitar work on the opening track and not a ukulele like it sounds.
Say You’ll Be There (Spice Girls, Kennedy, Jon B)
The cats spice up the classic hit from the kittens. The massive hit from the spice girls was first released in 1998 at the hight of Girl Power, but the boys have stolen it back with a great cover, great vocals and backing once again.
20th Century Boy (Bolan)
High octane finish to the album with a superb rendition of this awesome T-Rex classic. Vocals clear, fast and darn rocking whilst the boys at the back give us a bopping, jivin score. Great track to close this extraordinary album.
Summery
It’s a classic Rockin jukebox of tracks that will never die from all genres and decades. This is Neo rockabilly at its best. Surprising on some of the tracks, that makes think this wont work, but it does and its done to a great production and mix. Well done to all concerned.
Recommendation
It’s a great cd with 16 classic and updated songs from across all walks of life musically speaking, this is not a tribute to any artist. This is a tribute to great music from across board compiled by great musicians and vocalist.
Bio,
Three guys from Norfolk, UK with a love of Rockabilly and Rock ‘n’ Roll finally get it together and stick a ribbon on it! All three have been playing the local and national rock ‘n’ roll music scene constantly since childhood (and that’s a long time for some of us!). All three have been front men and vocalists of their own bands, rockabilly and otherwise, over the years and all three are multi-instrumentalists. All three have appeared on TV, Radio and CD and played in bands covering a variety of musical styles. Ron Sayer and Wayne Beauchamp played together in the 1980s along with Dale Beauchamp in rock ‘n’ roll band “The Streamlines” and then again in the 1990s in rockabilly band “Dawg House” who had album releases in the UK and Germany on the Rockabilly & Psychobilly Bone Tone and Vampirette labels along with many rock ‘n’ roll compilation albums.Darly Blyth and Wayne spent many years playing together in the skiffle and bluegrass band “The Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo” who had two commercial albums released on the Western Star & Vampirette labels along with many rockabilly compilation albums. They then played together in the raucous rockabilly/punkabilly band “V8 Rumble” in more recent times who also had a commercial album released on German rockabilly record label Vampirette.Together Ron, Daryl & Wayne have played several gigs together under makeshift guises playing Rock ‘n’ Roll gigs in Norfolk and having loads of fun. You could say it was inevitable these three would give themselves a band name one day and take it a bit more seriously although “serious” has never really been a viable option for any of them!
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